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Gehrig Cap Headlines MLB FanFest Auction

Babe Ruth bat, autographed jerseys from Ted Williams and Stan Musial and a dugout full of vintage baseball cards and memorabilia will go on the block at one of the summer’s big events.

Hunt Auction will be offering a New York Yankees cap worn by Lou Gehrig from the late 1920s-early 1930s as the star attraction of the 2009 Live Auction at MLB All-Star FanFest.

rJuly 2009 marks the 70th anniversary of the Hall of Fame first baseman’s memorable “luckiest man” speech. The Lou Gehrig game used hat is expected to realize $75,000-$125,000. Joining the hat will be over 775 other items of baseball history to be sold in a live auction on July 14th at the America’s Center in St. Louis, MO, starting at 10:00 a.m. CT, as part of Major League Baseball All-Star Week activities.

“Hunt Auctions is thrilled to offer this hat at a time when the baseball community is celebrating the achievements of one of its greatest icons, " said David Hunt, President of Hunt Auctions. The model by which Gehrig played the game, and more importantly, lived his life as exemplified in his "luckiest man" speech, remains the standard for even the most accomplished players today. It is for those reasons that treasured pieces of Lou Gehrig’s garner such passionate interest from the collecting public."

Additional headliners in the auction include professional model bats used by three Hall of Fame sluggers: Babe Ruth c. 1923-25 (est. $50,000 – $75,000), Ty Cobb c.1921-31 (est. $40,000-$50,000), and Mickey Mantle c.1965-68 (est. $20,000-$30,000). A number of game used jerseys will also be made available, including a Ted Williams 1957 autographed home jersey (est. $40,000-$50,000), a 1956 road jersey from St. Louis Cardinals legend Stan Musial (est. $30,000-$40,000), and a 1954 Warren Spahn Milwaukee Braves road jersey (est. $20,000-$30,000).

Personal collections feature prominently in the auction lineup including treasured mementos of former Los Angeles Dodgers executive Robert Schenz, whose items span from 1959-1988 and include World Series rings from 1963 (est. $7,500-$10,000), 1981 (est. $7,000-$10,000), and 1988 (est. $10,000-$15,000). Hall of Famer Wade Boggs is offering items related to his 3000th career hit season. Leading that group is a game-used autographed home jersey from the game in which he collected his 3000th career hit (est. $1,500-$2,500).

Hunt Auctions will offer a few unique finds, including a rare assortment of T-206 tobacco cards from 1909-11 (est. $30,000-$40,000), whose proceeds will help fund repairs on a damaged 140-year-old church pipe organ in Philadelphia that was built by the grandfather of the man who wrote the lyrics for “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in 1908.

A group of letters originating from baseball pioneer Harry Wright have been pulled from the auction.

Bids for the Live Auction at MLB All-Star FanFest may be made live and in person at the auction, via phone at 610-524-0822, or on the Hunt Auctions website. More information and a list of items available can be found online as well.

Daily Auctions will be held Friday, July 10th – Monday, July 13th featuring modern era items for less than $1,000. Bidding for the silent auction will be exclusive to attendees of the 2009 MLB All-Star FanFest.

In addition, Hunt Auctions and its team of nationally recognized experts will conduct a complementary appraisal fair Friday, July 10th through Monday, July 13th. Select items from the appraisal fair may be consigned to the live auction. Attendees can call ahead to schedule a private consultation at 610-524-0822.

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About Rich Mueller

Rich is the editor and founder of Sports Collectors Daily. A broadcaster and writer for more than 30 years and a collector for even longer than that, he's usually typing something somewhere. Type him back at [email protected]